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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22906078">Venus, Have You Given Me a Blessing or a Curse?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophluorescent/pseuds/narkao'>narkao (sophluorescent)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Venus Verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Cyberpunk, Dubious Ethics, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Violence, Inspired by Pygmalion and Galatea (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), M/M, Selfcest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:54:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,306</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22906078</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophluorescent/pseuds/narkao</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's either the greatest success or the greatest mistake when men try to play God.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Byun Baekhyun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Venus Verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647361</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>117</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Venus, Have You Given Me a Blessing or a Curse?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Took the time to write this in between fest pieces. It was written in one sitting, so it is unbeta-ed and definitely going to have errors that I failed to catch (just bear with me, I promise I'll edit one day)! Might end up making this into something of a series, but as it is, this is a little standalone (though it was originally meant to be longer and have a plot, so...). I'm super fond of the Baekhyun selfcest kick, so, it was only a matter of time before I cranked this one out.</p><p>As always, please check the tags for any warnings <i>and</i> if you enjoyed the fic, please feel free to let me know via comments or kudos! I'd love to know what you thought &lt;3</p><p>This work has been translated into Russian <a href="https://ficbook.net/readfic/9108837">here!</a> Many thanks to the translator for giving more people access to reading my work &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p4">“It’s unhealthy- what you’re doing, that is,” Yixing says. Baekhyun fails to look up, busy collecting the tools he needs and the final designs for the operation at hand—really, Yixing shouldn’t even be <em>trying </em>to distract him. If something goes wrong, it’s his loss, not Baekhyun’s.</p><p class="p4">“And what <em>is </em>it that I’m doing?” Baekhyun asks, scrounging in his tool-case for just the right needle-sized rod. He finds it, his fingers curling around it, and sets it on the rolling cart at his side. Now he goes on the hunt for the right type of wiring. Yixing’s allergic to copper, so Baekhyun has to use a modified metallic wiring for everything. It’ll be harder to find since Baekhyun doesn’t use it as often, but at least he knows he’ll have enough on hand for the operation. It’d be hell to stop midway and realize he has to send out a runner to go fetch more materials.</p><p class="p4">Yixing clears his throat, shifting in his seat, “That robot you’re making. I think you’re getting too caught up in fantasy.”</p><p class="p4">“Oh?” Baekhyun clips, spinning his chair away from his desk. He grabs a hand of the rolling cart and drags it over with him to the operation chair Yixing’s sat in. “That’s what people said back when cybernetic… <em>attachments</em> were first being trialled. And look at where we are now,” he says, motioning at Yixing. He reaches over his client’s body, grabbed the leather restraint and tightening it around Yixing’s wrist, trapping him in place.</p><p class="p4">Yixing, for his part, doesn’t get any more tense than he already is—which, considering he always seems ready for a fight upon arriving at Baekhyun’s <em>humble</em> establishment, is probably impossible anyways. Baekhyun pats his chest soothingly, perhaps a little condescendingly, “Lay back and relax, Xing-ah. This won’t hurt. Don’t you trust me by now?”</p><p class="p4">Yixing’s face tells him that, <em>no</em>, Yixing does not trust him by now, but, he leans back anyways and forces his muscles to release. Baekhyun reaches up for one of the mechanical arms attached to the ceiling. This one has a headpiece attached to it—goggles fit with the latest technology to help him monitor Yixing’s vitals as well as the quality and working of the enhancements he’s about to install. He fits it to his face, and then turns again, grabbing another one of the mechanical arms, this time programming a sequence into its actions panel.</p><p class="p4">He guides it to Yixing’s face, settling the mask attached to its end atop of Yixing’s mouth. “Breathe deep,” he directs, watching as Yixing follows his directives and inhales the thick gas filling the mask. As soon as he begins to fall into languor, Baekhyun’s pulling the mask away and focusing on the surgery. Most, he can perform without having to put a client under, but Yixing wants a more invasive attachment added.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun opens up his chest with deft skill and accuracy, more than accustomed to his work by now. He peels back flaps of skin and muscle, and finally opens up a clear view of Yixing’s slow beating heart. Now, he begins to work with his <em>real </em>tools. He creates a base for the computer system to network itself. A box that’ll keep all of the delicate cybernetics clean of Yixing’s bodily residue, like blood. He roots it just beneath Yixing’s heart, and then, he begins to work on the ports that’ll hardwire his cardiovascular system.</p><p class="p4">He wires in motherboards and other chips. All of which he’d programmed in expectation for Yixing’s surgery. He’s even run tests on the odd street urchin he lured inside his shop, so he knows the attachments work as desired.</p><p class="p4">It takes an hour in all for all of the hardware to be implanted. Then, Baekhyun begins to seal the cavity in Yixing’s chest right back up. It’ll be ugly, since Yixing hadn’t wanted to pay for Baekhyun’s cosmetic procedures, but, it’ll be secure.</p><p class="p4">He finishes with a finely carved plate of metal to seal the gaping hole he’d left. It makes Yixing’s chest half metal, but at this point, Yixing’s starting to become more metal than skin anyways.</p><p class="p4">Rapping his knuckles on the metal sheet, reveling in the <em>thunk</em> it lets out, he begins to pack up all of his tools again. He cleans them with care. Everything he does in his workshop is done like this. He’s meticulous about it. Perfectionistic.</p><p class="p4">After he puts away the last tool, Yixing begins to wake up, groaning as he does so. “Hurt?” Baekhyun asks, rolling back to where Yixing’s sat. He pulls down one of the screens waiting overhead and turns to the computer system moored next to the operating chair.</p><p class="p4">“I think you <em>tried </em>to make it hurt,” Yixing groans, sitting up.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun shrugs, loading up Yixing’s newest programs, and displaying them alongside Yixing’s vitals on the screen in front of them. “I’m not evil,” he says, seriously, “your surgery was just a little more than you’re used to. Of course it’s going to ache. Especially with a plate of metal sitting in your chest.”</p><p class="p4">Yixing rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t argue. Baekhyun gives him a few minutes to quantify his pain and begin relaxing again. Soon, the pain will just become a familiar ache in the back of his mind. Eventually, it’ll disappear completely.</p><p class="p4">But, nothing’s immediate.</p><p class="p4">As soon as Yixing’s ready, Baekhyun begins to explain how to care for the remaining wound. He also covers the nature of the enhancement Yixing had purchased. “It’ll extend your life, because your heart isn’t going to degrade anymore, and the wiring is going to help clear your arteries, but it’s also going to help you remain calm in situations that might otherwise shock you.” He points out the workings of the attachment on the screen, “it’s more of a mediating sort of attachment, and it’ll keep you consistently updated on all of your vitals, as well as warn you if your body begins taking too much damage.”</p><p class="p4">Yixing nods, soaking in the directives. “So, I’m like a video game character now? As in I can see my health?”</p><p class="p4">“Yeah, sort of,” Baekhyun agrees. “Of course, as with all cybernetics that are attached to… vital organs you need to ensure it won’t get hacked. I’ve outfit it with all of the latest cybersecurity already—in addition to the shit I program and load up myself—but… <em>everything </em>can be hacked, so watch that you’re not pissing off someone who can hardwire your body.”</p><p class="p4">Yixing grins, “All right,” he agrees. Then, he pushes himself upright, swinging his legs over the edge of the chair. He sits there for a moment, no doubt getting used to the new information that’s begun to display across his optical attachments that Baekhyun had wired in just last year.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun watches, passingly fascinated as Yixing’s eyes rove over the holographic information displayed in front of his eyes. It’s not that he can even <em>see </em>the information himself, but, he knows it is there thanks to one of his attachments.</p><p class="p4">“Okay, now that you’re done… get out of my shop,” Baekhyun finally says, moving back to allow Yixing room to stand. His friend grabs his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder, and his automatic rifle. He glances at Baekhyun’s worktable again.</p><p class="p4">“Remember what I said, Baek: it’s not healthy,” he reminds. Then, he’s leaving. Baekhyun sits quietly in the silence he leaves behind him, mulling over Yixing’s words, before standing and making his way over to the worktable.</p><p class="p4">It’s more than a passing vanity, he realizes as he gazes down at the half-built doll laid out over his table. It’s an infatuation not only with himself, but with the simple idea of creating something equal in genius, charism, wit.</p><p class="p4">He runs his fingers along the robot’s wiring, thumbing in between the divots of its machinery. Then, he picks up his carving tools and the half-finished face-panel he’s been working on. Sitting himself in front of a mirror, he continues his work, taking great care to make sure his sculpt is perfect.</p><p class="p2">***</p><p class="p4">He perfects the base for the body a couple of weeks later. At that point, he’s forced to look outside of his shop and into a facility that can actually <em>handle</em> the type of artificial design he’s been trying to create.</p><p class="p4">He’ll have to get one of his coworkers involved if he’s going to garner himself enough time, in private, in the factory. The only one he trusts: Oh Sehun. A kid who’s more artificial than he is human at this point. A kid who Baekhyun’s sculpted into the perfect human. As soon as they finish their last appointment, Sehun will be quitting his job at the doll factory and moving on to bigger and better things.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun—who’s had a fear of notoriety since he was a child—doesn’t quite get it. But, if Sehun wants to fly high, then by all means, he was welcome to. Really, all that meant to Baekhyun was that he had to be quick in completing the last few steps of his passion project. Had to get everything ready and completed prior to Sehun leaving the company. Because there was absolutely no chance Baekhyun would be able to convince anyone to let him stay late alone, not with his reputation of being a little… too good with the doll-making process.</p><p class="p4">When he asks Sehun, the first response he gets is a flat, “No.” And the white-coated kid’s looking away, back down to the sketchbook sat on his desk. He’s designing a new model. Baekhyun glances at it, wondering briefly what it’ll be used for: purpose or pleasure.</p><p class="p4">“C’mon, Sehun, you know they won’t let me stay back alone,” Baekhyun reasons.</p><p class="p4">“That’s because last time, you created something <em>too</em> life-like. And we’re not trying to play God, here. You freaked out admin last time.”</p><p class="p4">“What can I say? I’m good at what I do,” Baekhyun says, rolling his eyes. “Isn’t the point of this shit to make something realistic?”</p><p class="p4">“The point of this is to add augmentations to our daily lives. A one-time splurge that creates a lifetime of labor and pleasure. It’s not to try and make… <em>real</em> humans,” Sehun lectures, “otherwise, what use would <em>we </em>be?”</p><p class="p4">He has a point, but Baekhyun’s been over this all hundreds of times already. “I don’t need you to stay behind because I’m making alterations to any company models. It’s something personal. It won’t ever be on an assembly line, won’t ever be replicated.”</p><p class="p4">Sehun levels him with an unimpressed stare, one eyebrow arched challengingly. “Then I want to know what it is, first.”</p><p class="p4">“Only once we secure my hours in the lab.”</p><p class="p4">Sehun sighs, laying his hands down on his desk, “How long do you need?”</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun’s lips stretch into a grin, “If you get me six, from closing ’til midnight, I’ll be in and out without any problems.”</p><p class="p4">“What’s your cover?”</p><p class="p4">“Uh, you? You’re Oh Sehun, he who can do no wrong. If they really want to ask, I’ll say I wanted to test a different mixture of chemicals during the molding process. And you know they don’t have any cameras these days. Two many workers without SIN’s, they could get buried if that were to go public.”</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun’s one of those without a system identification number—essentially making him a nonexistent person. “Besides, if this works out, I’m just going to quit. I have bigger and better things to work on than making AI models,” he reasons.</p><p class="p4">Sehun’s not happy, but he agrees.</p><p class="p4">Meaning that, a week later, Baekhyun’s scheduled in for the labs. Sehun watches curiously as Baekhyun lugs in his bag of tricks and sets it down on the worktable. “So, what’s inside?” he finally asks, pointing at the huge bag. “Looks big enough to fit a body.”</p><p class="p4">“That’s exactly what’s inside,” Baekhyun mutters, unzipping the bag and gripping the model at the armpits. He hauls it outside of the bag and shoves it clean out on the lab table. Sehun walks over, curious, and then, he gasps.</p><p class="p4">“Baekhyun you’re not fucking serious,” he says, cradling the base of the model’s head in hand and tilting it up so Baekhyun can see. “Are you making a doll that looks like yourself?” He continues, dropping the head back on the table, shock coursing through his body.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun restrains himself from throttling him. “You need to treat that with way more care than you currently are,” he warns, turning back to the computer system. “And I’m not making a doll that looks like me. I’m making another <em>me</em>. I’m wiring us together via a private server. We’ll be one and the same. I’ll have two bodies.”</p><p class="p4">“Nothing ever works out like you think it will. You’re going to fucking fry yourself,” Sehun argues. But he’s familiar enough with Baekhyun to know that, now that he’s set on it, he’s not going to give up—even if it kills him. “God, you’re <em>insane.</em>”</p><p class="p4">“I’m genius,” Baekhyun quips in response, setting up the computer system and loading in his own body scans. “Go load it up, please,” he says to Sehun, motioning at the body model. Sehun’s lip curls in distaste, but he does as asked, loading the model up into its rigging. There, Baekhyun activates the lab’s mechanisms, watching as it dips the model into the chemical modeling paste (which will “harden” and become the fleshy, life-like exterior of the model), and then, begins to print Baekhyun’s skin color and features into the model.</p><p class="p4">Soon, it’s finished, and Baekhyun begins the next process: testing the model’s functions. He runs each of the necessary programs to view its movement. Watches as the model’s eyes flutter open and closed, then, as his hands and feet roll, his knees and elbows bend, his hands clasp and unclasp. The functions appear in order.</p><p class="p4">Leading them to the climax of this entire night. Baekhyun attaches one end of a wire to the lab’s computer system, then, sinks the other end into the port at the back of his head, the base of his skull.</p><p class="p4">He runs his programs and waits. It’s a living download. A connection between his own consciousness, the private network he’s set up to house and protect himself (layered with cybersecurity of his own doing as well as that of a friend—now dead, who cannot reveal their secrets), and finally, the model he intends to bring to life.</p><p class="p4">It takes an hour before the download, or the <em>upload</em> rather, is complete. At that point he detaches the wiring and turns to the artificial bot still hanging in the printing room.</p><p class="p4">Sehun brings it out while Baekhyun finishes cleaning up his tools and making it seem like no one’s ever even been there.</p><p class="p4">When Baekhyun looks up, he watches it <em>walk </em>alongside Sehun, its head turning this way and that as it looks around, taking in its surroundings. It’ll be silent for the next few hours, as his consciousness acclimates to its new body and mechanics, but… he can already tell his plan has worked.</p><p class="p4">Not exactly how he thought it would—because he certainly isn’t <em>thinking </em>exactly what the robot is, but, it’s working. The mannerisms of the bot are already parallel to his own (if only a little different), and he can <em>feel </em>the bot’s interest in the new world.</p><p class="p4">The bot, the other-Baekhyun, straddles what is real and what is fake.</p><p class="p4">He can’t help but feel proud as he takes the robot’s hand and leads it out of the building, throwing a coat over its shoulders to hide its body. He and Sehun part ways at the street. They won’t see each other again—at least, not until Sehun comes in for his last enhancement.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun’s already made up his mind. He’s quitting tonight. He’s got more noteworthy things at hand.</p><p class="p2">***</p><p class="p4">“You did <em>not</em>,” Yixing says the next time he comes into Baekhyun’s shop in search of new attachments.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun looks up. “I’ve been calling him Baëkhyun,” he says, motioning to the robot. Baëkhyun cocks his head, then, in a voice slightly less-gravelly than Baekhyun’s own, greets Yixing as if he were an old friend.</p><p class="p4">Yixing’s face contorts in horror, but, he quickly smooths out. He can’t afford to piss Baekhyun off. Not when Baekhyun’s the best ripperdoc in town. “Very creative,” he says, regarding Baëkhyun’s name. “I need more enhancements.”</p><p class="p4">“What this time?”</p><p class="p4">“Want what I saw you gave Minseok. He’s kicking ass in the ring, now, and I think I could benefit from something similar,” Yixing says. Baekhyun thinks back to whatever he fit Minseok with, but can’t call it to mind.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun turns, “You made him some new blade-implants for his forearms,” he supplies helpfully.</p><p class="p4">He’s right. “Go fetch me the designs, please,” he asks. His clone gets up (not without playfully flicking Baekhyun’s ear) and goes to rustle around for the designs amongst Baekhyun’s folder of creations. In the meantime, Baekhyun turns to Yixing and begins to explain the design and how it’ll modify his body and fighting styles.</p><p class="p4">He won’t be able to complete the procedure today—he has too many parts to replace—so after showing Yixing all of the designs and explaining everything, he collects a forward deposit and sends Yixing on his way. As he sends Yixing out, he turns to Baëkhyun, only to watch the clone’s eyes follow their visitor out with something akin to longing.</p><p class="p4">“What’s wrong?” He asks.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun looks at him, cocking his head. He really <em>is </em>a copy of Baekhyun. The only difference being a slightly lighter skin tone (as a result of the artificial chemicals that <em>created </em>his skin) and slightly less… soulful eyes. “What’s it like outside?” He asks.</p><p class="p4">Because he’s never been outside. Not since Baekhyun drove him home that night he was created. He’s got Baekhyun’s memories, but, that doesn’t mean they feel real. “Well, you’ve seen it, haven’t you?”</p><p class="p4">“I have,” Baëkhyun agrees, “but I haven’t lived it.”</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun resists the urge to comment on Baëkhyun’s “living” comment, instead, glancing back at the stairwell Yixing had disappeared up. He <em>could </em>bring Baëkhyun outside. They’ll garner attention, which really isn’t the best, but… it’s the street. He’s not going to have to worry about the law (because Baëkhyun is most certainly a violation of it), but he’ll have to make sure Baëkhyun doesn’t get mugged or worse.</p><p class="p4">He’ll have to make sure <em>he </em>doesn’t get mugged for that matter. The only reason it’s not his primary concern is that, as someone with a good reputation as a ripperdoc, killing him is going to piss off some very dangerous people, which acts as a good dissuasion.</p><p class="p4">He takes a minute more to deliberate, then, he motions for Baëkhyun to get up. He grabs hoodie, pulling it up over his head, then takes Baëkhyun’s hand, leading him up the shop’s staircase and out into the alleyway outside his shop’s entrance.</p><p class="p4">He takes Baëkhyun down the alley until they break out onto the street, at which point Baëkhyun’s jaw drops. He looks around, entranced by the streets now that they’ve been filled with people. It’s raining, which, if Baëkhyun were a less expensive-styled model, would have worried Baekhyun, but as it is, he’s fine.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun stops all along their path, staring openly at flashing advertisements and various members of the public. Everything seems interesting. The criminals, the street urchins, the shopkeepers, the prostitutes, and even the very infrequent cops. And while he looks around, Baekhyun keeps watch, always aware of their surroundings, pistol at his side, and the blades in his forearms practically itching to be activated.</p><p class="p4">“C’mon,” he says eventually, taking Baëkhyun’s hand again and weaving into the thicker crowds. “I know a place you’ll like.”</p><p class="p4"><em>Butterfly Effect</em> is halfway between a bar and a lounge. It’s quiet, with deep blue and purple lighting that catches the planes of Baëkhyun’s face and makes him look all the more ethereal than he already is. Baekhyun’s entranced.</p><p class="p4">So much so, he misses when Junmyeon appears at his back, wrapping his arms around Baekhyun and grinning into his neck in greeting. “I wasn’t expecting you,” and then, “who’s this.”</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun turns, and Junmyeon’s breath stutters to a stop. “This is Baëkhyun. He’s my… <em>Galatea</em>, if you know what I mean,” Baekhyun says calmly.</p><p class="p4">“<em>How?” </em>Junmyeon asks, but he doesn’t really wait for an answer, grabbing both of them by their sleeves and dragging them downstairs into the <em>private </em>lounge. Baekhyun’s surprised to see Minseok and Jongdae—both people he’s familiar with—inside, already, but he waves at them both.</p><p class="p4">They do a double-take. Jongdae’s much more shocked than Minseok, but that’s because this is his first time even seeing the clone. “Is that?”</p><p class="p4">Junmyeon cuts them off, “He’s artificial then? Can he handle any dorphs?”</p><p class="p4">“He won’t feel them. You know what you give to the other boppers? Get him that,” Baekhyun says.</p><p class="p4">Junmyeon nods, “And you want your usual?”</p><p class="p4">“Not as strong, but yeah,” Baekhyun says. Junmyeon disappears, leaving Baekhyun and his clone alone with Minseok and Jongdae.</p><p class="p4">Jongdae’s grin is cat-like and curious as he reaches out and grabs Baëkhyun’s sleeve, coaxing him over to the couch he’s sat on. Baekhyun lets him go, smiling encouragingly when Baëkhyun shoots him a vaguely panicked look. As soon as Baëkhyun sits down on the couch, Jongdae’s all over him, touching his face, staring into his eyes, and asking a million questions.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun watches, moderately apprehensive, as the hacker appraises his creation.</p><p class="p4">Minseok clears his throat, “I didn’t expect you to take him out of your shop. Is he talking yet?”</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun answers for himself, “I am.”</p><p class="p4">Minseok whistles, “he sounds better than you. Should have quit smoking, might’ve had a job in one of those nice Jazz bars on the otherside of the river if you had.”</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “My voice is just fine. Besides, I have plenty use this side of the river.” Minseok nods, he’s more than familiar with Baekhyun’s work. As if to remind himself, he taps his forearms with idle fingers, as if remembering his latest procedure.</p><p class="p4">Jongdae’s <em>also </em>a client of his, though way more infrequently. It has to do with both his paranoia (Baekhyun’s attachments require allowing him into your hardwiring) and his constant need to be on the run. He’s got mega-corps out for him—always does—and they rarely give him much time to rest. “This is incredible,” he murmurs, reaching towards Baëkhyun again. This time, the clone shies away a bit and shoots a nervous glance at Baekhyun, who comes to his rescue immediately.</p><p class="p4">“You can give him a little space,” Baekhyun says, gently pushing Jongdae’s hand away from his creation. Then, remembering Minseok’s earlier comment, he says, “I didn’t plan on taking him out. The shop’s safer for him. But, he wanted to get a look around.”</p><p class="p4">“You should be careful,” Junmyeon says, re-entering the room. “I don’t understand what it is you’ve done, but not only does he look like you, he acts like you too. And it’s more nuanced than what a computer program is able to do.”</p><p class="p4">“He’s still artificial,” Baekhyun says, “but he’s got a living system. It’s writing itself based off of constant input from my own consciousness.”</p><p class="p4">“Sounds like if I jacked into his system I could fuck you up too,” Jongdae comments, leaning back into Minseok’s chest.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun narrows his eyes, “You could.” He cards his fingers through Baëkhyun’s hair, taking his glass from Junmyeon and sipping from it. “Same as I could have jacked yours every time you came to my shop. We’re friends, Jongdae, not enemies.” Then, he looks back at Junmyeon, “And, I’m being careful. I don’t want him getting hurt.”</p><p class="p4">“He gets hurt, you’ll end up hurt eventually,” Jongdae singsongs, referencing their cybernetic link again. It <em>is </em>a security risk, but Baekhyun had willingly taken it knowing the potential consequences.</p><p class="p4">“Not really what I was thinking,” Junmyeon murmurs, “but, yes. I was thinking more about the corpos. They’ll jump on the chance to make clones of themselves or others. A hive-mind they can control? No need to buy soldiers and hope they won’t talk. Make them robots with the capability to think and act like humans and all their problems are solved.”</p><p class="p4">“They already have robots working under them,” Baekhyun dismisses.</p><p class="p4">“Robots have to be programmed. If Baëkhyun is a living, learning program, then that’s new.”</p><p class="p4">“He’s only that way because he’s literally hooked into my consciousness.”</p><p class="p4">“Still,” Junmyeon says, “It’s worrisome. If they catch wind of you, especially given your reputation for making such good cybernetic attachments… they’ll want you.”</p><p class="p4">“Could make some cash,” Minseok says, “by offering your services. I’d almost want to take it.”</p><p class="p4">“Corpos are fucking snakes,” Jongdae spits, “you start working with them and they’ll start making a replacement for you. Kill you off as soon as you get too expensive.”</p><p class="p4">“Sounds like you speak from experience,” Baekhyun responds mildly. Jongdae’s eyes blaze challengingly, but he doesn’t refute. Instead, he quiets down, allowing Baekhyun to return his attention to Baëkhyun, who’s looking distrustfully at the drink Junmyeon’s put in his hand. Under Baekhyun’s encouragement, he takes a sip, and finding that it isn’t poisonous, continues to drink.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun never understood what compelled robots to indulge in activities like drinking or eating, but Junmyeon always made things specially for them, so he’d wanted to offer Baëkhyun the same pleasures.</p><p class="p4">“I don’t want to work for any corpos. I like what I’m doing now,” Baekhyun says finally. Junmyeon still doesn’t seem all-together happy, but, he looks more relaxed now.</p><p class="p4">“Just watch out. If it’s not the corpos, it’ll be the military. Just, stay safe, and don’t parade him around,” Junmyeon says, nodding in Baëkhyun’s direction.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun nods placatingly and continues to stroke Baëkhyun’s hair, soothing out any of his apprehension. He’s still not wholly relaxed, but, at least now, he seems to <em>understand </em>how the lounge works, and though Jongdae’s not the most welcoming, Baëkhyun appears to have gotten used to him.</p><p class="p4">They stay only long enough to finish their drinks. Then, they ditch. Baekhyun doesn’t like being in one place with Jongdae all too long (given the fact that he’s at the top of someone’s ‘wanted’ list) and Minseok intimidates him after a while. Plus, he’s a homebody at heart. That’s why he likes living this side of the river—it’s so awful on the street that he really has no reason to leave the house.</p><p class="p4">He’s yet to take Baëkhyun <em>home, </em>home though. All this time, Baekhyun’s just slept in his shop, with Baëkhyun curled up next to him. Today, though, he’d like to go back home. Yixing’s appointment isn’t until next week, and he has no other clients scheduled, so it’d be good to just stay inside and work with Baëkhyun on his mannerisms and speech—just to help him acclimate and appear more human than he already does.</p><p class="p4">So, as soon as they arrive back at the shop, Baekhyun packs up a few things for maintenance (should Baëkhyun incur some sort of damage) and then seats Baëkhyun inside his car, quickly driving them off towards the riverside, where the river laps at the streets, sometimes flooding into his district.</p><p class="p4">His home is a two story building, previously abandoned, but now his. He’d paid handsomely for it—seeing as it was completely off the grid, but, it was worth the money. Since buying it, he’s outfit it with the technology to help secure it from the elements as well as the unsavory individuals on the outside. It’s a singular paradise in the middle of a chaotic world. </p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun likes it immediately. Whether it’s that he has Baekhyun’s memories and associations of the place, or simply his first impression of it—he finds it safe almost as soon as he walks in. While Baekhyun gets his dinner started, Baëkhyun explores, asking questions, fooling with items. He raids Baekhyun’s closet (trying on a plethora of clothes that Baekhyun honestly forgot he owned given how much time he spent at his shop) and even explores the perfumes and colognes Baekhyun’s had locked away ever since he remade himself.</p><p class="p4">It’s late in the evening when Baëkhyun finally settles down and seeks out Baekhyun’s warmth, his security.</p><p class="p4">“Minseok and Jongdae were close,” he remarks, sitting himself in Baekhyun’s lap. Baekhyun, lost in his stare, almost doesn’t respond.</p><p class="p4">Then, “What was that?”</p><p class="p4">“Minseok and Jongdae, are they?” Baëkhyun trails off.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun quirks a brow. “Are they what? Fucking? Yeah, probably. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that.”</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun cocks his head, processing the information, then, with a face as innocent as day, “What’s it like? To fuck?”</p><p class="p4">He’s nearly unseated in the near convulsion of laughter that ripples through Baekhyun’s body and comes sputtering out of his mouth. When Baekhyun finally regains his composure and looks back into Baëkhyun’s eyes, he realizes that he’s completely serious—it’s almost endearing.</p><p class="p4">“It’s fun,” he says easily, not particularly interested in trying to explain the actual feelings behind it to his clone. Baëkhyun, though he can mimic emotions, even… quantify them to a certain degree, can’t truly… <em>feel </em>them. So, it’d be difficult to explain. “People do it to enjoy themselves and each other,” he says.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun looks sufficiently interested. “Show me?” he asks, far too doe-eyed to be real. Baekhyun’s heart thunders in his chest. He swallows.</p><p class="p4">“It’s not going to work for you like it does for…” Baekhyun trails off.</p><p class="p4">“Because I’m not like you?” Baëkhyun says, which is ironic in and of itself, but, nonetheless true. “But I know how <em>you </em>feel,” he says, tapping the ports at the back of Baekhyun’s head in reminder.</p><p class="p4">“And what good does that do you?” Baekhyun asks, raising a brow.</p><p class="p4">“Well, if you feel good—don’t I?” He says, and then, without waiting to ask, he leans in and presses his lips to Baekhyun’s.</p><p class="p4">Perhaps, if he were a stronger man, he wouldn’t kiss back. It has to be crossing <em>some </em>sort of line—fucking a copy of yourself—but, he’s weak. Always has been a thrill-seeker. His mouth parts beneath Baëkhyun’s, allowing the clone to tongue into his mouth.</p><p class="p4">At first, all Baekhyun can think is how proud he is to have made something so real that Baëkhyun truly feels like a human being. Given he was completed in a printer that made <em>sex </em>dolls for a living, perhaps, Baekhyun should have expected the added realism.</p><p class="p4">But eventually, he forgets who he is as a <em>creator </em>and simply enjoys the other body in his lap.</p><p class="p4">The kiss grows hungrier now that Baekhyun’s allowed his thoughts to slip away. He leads the kiss, showing Baëkhyun what he likes, how to perform for him. And Baëkhyun adapts easily, learning Baekhyun’s body with ease, eventually even breaking away from the mold, obviously drawing input from the sensors he was built with—from the memories he’s been given access too—and reaching down to cup Baekhyun’s cock through his jeans.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun moans openly, unabashedly, and grins when Baëkhyun echoes the noise, eyes wide, curious. He laughs breathlessly and picks Baëkhyun up, keeping the clone straddling his hips as he walks them through the house and into his bedroom.</p><p class="p4">He deposits them both on the bed, where they continue to kiss. Baëkhyun’s hands run all up and down Baekhyun’s body, always seeking, always searching. Every reaction is taken note of and repeated, further exhausted the more Baëkhyun learns.</p><p class="p4">Eventually, he pushes Baekhyun’s shirt up, baring his skin to the bedroom air. There, he pauses, gazing down over Baekhyun’s chest. “You’re different,” he mumbles, tracing a scar.</p><p class="p4">“I’m human,” Baekhyun reminds, watching Baëkhyun’s face carefully. The clone leans down, pressing a kiss to the largest of scars, then, trails his lips up to Baekhyun’s nipples, securing his lips around one, nipping and sucking.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun arches beneath him, hands mooring themselves in Baëkhyun’s hair, his breath coming in short pants. He rolls his hips against Baëkhyun’s, always seeking, always searching for more friction.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun pants as well, his eyes blown wide—the most emotive Baekhyun’s ever seen him—and sits back. “What do you want?” he asks, thumbs still circling Baekhyun’s nipples.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun finds it hard to breathe under his stare, wonders if this is what he looked like with everyone he’s ever slept with before Baëkhyun. If so, he doesn’t know how they could have left his bed in the morning. He’s debauched in the best of ways, sensual in expression and movement. He’s <em>inviting, </em>he’s<em> electrifying. </em></p><p class="p4">“Suck my cock,” he says crassly, gently pushing Baëkhyun down his body, so that his face is level with Baekhyun’s crotch.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun nuzzles into the fabric of his jeans, then, undoes the button and shoves his jeans halfway down his thighs. He mouths hot and heavy through Baekhyun’s underwear, grinning at the long whine Baekhyun lets out as he arches and kicks out his feet.</p><p class="p4">He’s messy and clumsy when it comes to actually <em>sucking </em>Baekhyun’s dick, but, the image of it: his <em>own </em>face tonguing at the head of his cock and then swallowing it down his throat, his own face gagging and moaning on it. It’s enough to have Baekhyun on the brink of release in minutes.</p><p class="p4">So, he coaxes Baëkhyun off of him and rolls them over (kicking off his pants and underwear in the process), finally settling atop his clone. Baëkhyun gazes up at Baekhyun adoringly, eyes stuck on Baekhyun’s face. It’s sweet in addition to attractive, and Baekhyun’s smile softens instantly. He cups Baëkhyun’s face and kisses him, much kinder, much more affectionately than he’d kissed him before.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun moans beneath him, a soft little hum, but a moan nonetheless.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun reaches over to his nightstand, fumbling inside the drawer until his fingers wrap around the tube of lube he keeps. He squeezes some onto his hands and warms it, Baëkhyun watching this all happen curiously, his hands smoothing up and down Baekhyun’s thighs reverently.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun opens himself up, sweating and panting above Baëkhyun. It’s been a while since he took the time to pleasure himself, much less prepare himself for someone <em>else</em>.</p><p class="p4">After two fingers, Baëkhyun smooths one of his own hands down Baekhyun’s back and presses a finger of his own alongside Baekhyun’s.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun moans, embarrassingly loud, at the action, and rocks back onto Baëkhyun’s hand, his hair falling into his face, his breath panting hotly across Baëkhyun’s face.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun kisses him then, gently removing Baekhyun’s hands from himself and replacing the lost space with two more of his fingers, pumping them smoothly, easily, guided by Baekhyun’s earlier motions. His fingers shy from the place Baekhyun really <em>wants </em>them, so he circles his hips, presses back harder, and once Baëkhyun’s fingers hit that spot, he moans, voice cracking.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun teases that spot the remainder of the time he fingers Baekhyun, grinning beneath Baekhyun’s panting face.</p><p class="p4">Finally, Baekhyun forces himself to sit up, catching his breath and urging Baëkhyun to remove his fingers—which he does, reluctantly so. He reaches back, pushing Baëkhyun’s sweatpants down his legs and reaching for his cock, satisfyingly hard despite the lack of physical attention (it has to be the programming).</p><p class="p4">He sinks down onto Baëkhyun’s dick, his breath wheezing out of him as he does so. It’s not a <em>foreign </em>feeling per se, but, it is <em>new</em> in that it’s Baëkhyun—<em>Baekhyun’s</em>—cock inside of him.</p><p class="p4">He adjusts slowly, but Baëkhyun is a patient lover, always watching Baekhyun’s expressions. It’s not until Baekhyun’s relaxed that Baëkhyun takes the chance to move, swiveling his hips up into Baekhyun, who groans and sits back, biting his lip with a grin.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun looks a mess, his hair tussled and pressed to his face, bite marks marring his neck and shoulders. Baekhyun knows he must look equivalently <em>destroyed</em>, especially given how much more attentive Baëkhyun’s been. </p><p class="p4">He rises up and slams back down, riding Baëkhyun with fervor, moans shaking from his chest, melodic and candid. Baëkhyun’s fingers dig into his hips, guiding him back, keeping his rhythm.</p><p class="p4">Until Baekhyun’s so close he can’t keep the pace. At which point Baëkhyun flips them and settles between his spread legs, sliding home once more. The breath is punched out of Baekhyun’s chest, the pleasure coursing through him, cresting, <em>climaxing</em>.</p><p class="p4">He shakes, eyes squeezed shut, as pleasures zings through his body and pools in his head, fuzzy and warm.</p><p class="p4">Baëkhyun’s arms shake and he falls against Baekhyun’s chest, similarly pleased by Baekhyun’s release.</p><p class="p4">They take several minutes to calm down, and once they do, Baekhyun’s groaning happily, laughter on his lips. “That was… an experience,” he settles on, gently pushing Baëkhyun onto the bed. He reaches out for the tissue box he keeps on his nightstand and begins wiping his come off of the both of them, they can shower the residue off later, when Baekhyun’s legs don’t feel like jelly. “You didn’t come,” he remarks, sliding a hand up Baëkhyun’s thigh. He’s not <em>surprised</em>, but, he’d wondered just how realistic the model would get.</p><p class="p4">“It felt <em>good </em>though,” Baëkhyun says, allowing a kiss. “I could feel it, when <em>you </em>came,” he whispers.</p><p class="p4">Indeed. “It was nice?” Baekhyun asks, mouthing idly at Baëkhyun’s neck, reveling in the way his skin blushes beneath his ministrations. Baëkhyun’s <em>pleasantly </em>real. So much so, that Baekhyun’s beginning to forget he’s artificial at heart.</p><p class="p4">“<em>Very</em>,” Baëkhyun says, bringing Baekhyun back up to his lips, where they kiss deeply, enthralled with one another. After a few minutes, “Is this what you made me for?” he asks.</p><p class="p4">Baekhyun blinks. “Mhm, it might have been a part of the process,” he murmurs, “but I really wanted to prove something to myself. That’s why I made you.”</p><p class="p4">“And were you successful?” Baëkhyun asks, gazing at him openly, honestly.</p><p class="p4">“More than,” Baekhyun breathes, “<em>more than</em>.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A scene from this fic was illustrated here: <a href="https://twitter.com/rttnfrnd/status/1233594942838231041?s=20">click me!</a> Please give the artist some love! Thank you so much for reading! You can find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/syzygybbh">twitter!</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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